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In the spring of 2014, the crack of the bat will be heard uptown as the Charlotte Knights begin play at BB&T Ballpark. Congratulations Charlotte, and thank you for your belief in our city.

This city-changing project was made possible by a number of visionaries across City Council and the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners as well as the talented and committed city and county staffers, who never lost sight of what a new ballpark could mean for our future. These leaders teamed with those in the private sector at Spectrum Properties, Mass Mutual and Wells Fargo working creatively to move this complex initiative through multiple elected bodies since 2005. The Charlotte Knights, with owners Don Beaver and Bill Allen and General Manager Dan Rajkowski, also have stayed the course. All are to be commended.

This ballpark is a grand gesture in city-building and urban design that will transform Third Ward. This project helps fulfill the 2020 Vision Plan of a “ballpark neighborhood,” bringing new uses to 36 acres of underutilized land and surface parking.

It’s estimated there will be $362 million of baseball-oriented development during the next 10 years, including office, lodging, more than 1,000 residential units and retail and hospitality. Developers are moving forward with projects around the ballpark.

New hospitality retail will strengthen Bank of America Stadium, BB&T Ballpark and Romare Bearden Park. The facility will help create a vibrant neighborhood that will serve as a talent-recruiting asset — the Wrigleyville of Charlotte.

It will generate unencumbered property-tax revenue for the city and county and will create hospitality sales-tax revenue. The ballpark is projected to create 490 direct jobs and 749 in total jobs, including youth employment.

This will be a gathering place for the community. We anticipate 125 to 175 events a year. We foresee a center of youth and amateur sports that supports the hospitality industry.

The Knights are finalizing design and bank financing. Construction is slated to start in October, and suite and ticket sales will begin shortly.

It took seven years to move from the idea of a land swap to Monday night’s landmark vote by City Council, putting the final funding pieces in place for the ballpark. But when the first pitch is thrown, no one will think about the hurdles. Instead, we will be too busy building memories. We will also watch our city bloom around the BB&T Ballpark, bringing jobs, development and new community life. Baseball does all that and more.

See you all at the ballpark.

Michael Smith is president and chief executive at Charlotte Center City Partners.